OK, we all know when the Doctor regenerates who it'll be. TV and papers spoil it all the time. So, how about a way to prevent us knowing?

Here's my idea for a future regeneration:

- Episode where, for some reason, the Doctor and the Master are forced by some higher threat to work together.
- They are forced to fix a problem in space, as in literally in space, space suits required etc. Both go out to fix it, but when out there something goes wrong. Radiation blasts, electrocution, suit malfunctions, I don't know. Either way, something kills them both, forces them both to regenerate. Logically inside an airlock on the ship getting back in as the force of regeneration would destroy the suits and vacuum would then truly kill them. Or they're fixing a shield around the ship so when the suits are burst by regeneration, it doesn't matter, they're in an atmosphere.
- They get inside, wearing the remains of their suits, logically without their helmets etc. But we don't see the full regeneration. We see it start, but that's it. When inside, we have a new Doctor and a new Master, but as no-one apart from them knows who each of them are, the Master pretends to be the Doctor as well. This to story arc where the identity of which is which is unknown, either for a couple of episodes or longer, though couldn't go on too long so maybe a double bill would work better, only figuring out at the end of the second one.
- To keep it hidden from the public, the BBC announce the new Doctor and new Master's actors, but refuse to say which is which. Thus when they do regenerate, not even we know who is who, and have to work it out the same as the companions do.

Sound like a good idea? Anyone else think of ways to disguise the identity of a new Doctor in a story?

Wouldn't it be much simpler just to persuade the producer by fan pressure to keep the new actor (or actress (or animal)) a secret until the regeneration scene is broadcast ?

It can be done, the producers just don't want to.

D

They could do, yes, but I thought this leads to an interesting story as well. Hell, could make it an episode longer, the Master convinces them HE'S the Doctor, so he gets dumped in a prison for crimes committed by the Master or somewhere whilst the Master runs off with the TARDIS and companions. Next episode involves him getting out of said prison, whilst the companions end up realising and have to get the TARDIS back to him.

And whilst they could keep it a secret, they won't. Because people want to know, and shows want ratings. Doctor Who Confidential's ratings would have shot up for the episode where Matt Smith was unveiled I imagine, so the ratings for this would be higher just out of peoples interest to see who the Doctor is.

Here's a similar idea that I was thinking of the other day.

The Doctor is travelling on his own, planning to go back to his companion later, then the companion meets someone who she's never seen before. He says he's the Doctor and has just regenerated, and he appears to be.
She doesn't realise that he's actually the Master, and the Doctor is still himself but the Master has him locked up somewhere (possibly with his mouth sewn shut) while the Master steals his TARDIS, kidnaps the companion and tried to take over the world (probably while torturing Sontarans, only joking!).

is this a bit to erly as we are only on matt smiths 6th epeisode

It's never too early... I was thinking about 11's regen into 12 while we were only on Doctor number 7...

Ok this is stupid but im gonna share

Why not do something different and have the doctor wake up with a different face. Not fuss and pain. Plus, it's ambiguous?

People like a sense of occasion!

Besides, they have to hype it up as much as possible, create series trailers, promotional posters, TV interviews - can't do any of that if you're keeping the actor a mystery.

Oh I'm not on about this as a way to replace him. I like the guy and don't want him gone any time soon.


Hence why I said they can still show the actors, but you've actually got to watch it to see who it'll be as the Doctor.

Of course they did - because it was on BBC1 instead of BBC3.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/090102_news_01

Then they could still do what I said, doesn't actually involve any regeneration.

Sorry, that sounds lame.

IMHO, i think the idea of the doctor and master getting confused about each other's identities would be a little difficult: you can change the faces around but on the inside it's the same (sorta) doctor. he'd know he's the doctor.

unless he somehow lost his memory/mind swap/etc. etc.

There's one surefire way of not finding out anything about a future regeneration...........


DON'T COME ONTO THIS FORUM!!!!!!!!!

I always thought an interesting idea for a regeneration would be when the doctor is dying, he just about makes it into a room - say on a slave ship - where there are loads of, well slaves. You see a light glow from the outside but when the camera pans inside you have no idea who the new Doctor is as he is amongst hundreds of slaves...

Then the show would end and leave you guessing who is the new Doctor in the next series.

Obviously some kind of story idea would need adding so that the Doctor wouldn't be in his normal clothing for it to work - so that it wouldn't be obvious.

This would be a cool thing to do, as under normal circumstances, the doctor doesn't even know who he is himself when he regenerates. So the guessing game could continue into the next series.... just a though. What think?

I didn't mean them getting confused who they were, I meant others getting confused who was who, and the Master lying and claiming to be the Doctor.

ahhh i understand now =)